Means for pivotally supporting and bracing ironing boards



2,498,557 ING I A. P. LA

MEANS F PIVOTAL AND B ING IRO Filed March NTZ LY SUPP NING BO S 29, 1945 FIGI.

a F I Dd v o fl o x s o N 0/ Q m Feb. 21,1950

Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Alpha Perry Lantz, Washington, D. 0.

Application March 29, 1945, Serial No. 585,435

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in ironing boards of the type adapted to be normally stored in upright or parallel relation to a wall, preferably within a cabinet or chamber associated with said wall, and, when in use, capable of being swung downwardly to a horizontal position, at approximately right angles to the wall, or parallel with the floor to dispose the ironing face of the board in convenient and operative position.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved means for pivotally mounting the ironing board in place and for supporting the same, from the pivot end thereof in a strong and firm manner whereby to eliminate the necessity for additional or outside supports located away from the wall and constituting corresponding obstructions, beneath the ironing board when projected away from the wall in ironing position.

In the general type of structures, such as that to which the instant improvements appertain, wherein leaf hinges between the wall and board have been resorted to in combination with a prop or leg located at an outer portion of the board, in an effort to provide a stable and durable structure, the leaf hinges referred to are inherently relatively weak and frail and the additional remote leg or prop is objectionable as being in the way of the knees of the operator or obstructing what should be a free open space beneath the board, through which garments might be properly disposed on the board for ironing, rendering it especially desirable that the board be supported from its inner or attached end only. However, this desirable improvement presents the difficulty of adequately pivoting and supporting the board so that it will be perfectly rigid or steady when in projected or operating position, it being remembered that manual ironing operations are usually under considerable pressure or strength derived from the operator who, at times, presents a requirement that the'hinged end of the board must be given primary importance in the construction.

In view of the foregoing the invention comprises, in its preferred embodiment thereof, a special pivoting means, combined with the ironing board and to which it is attached in a strong reinforced manner, said pivoting means comprising stub axles adapted to move in a rotative manner in suitable bearings at opposite edges of the board, the stub axles and bearings being of large diameter (substantially greater than the thickness of the board, for example), and having abutting parts or stops'located a substantial distance radially outward from the axis of the stub axles whereby to afiord adequate supporting means to resist any normal or substantial abnormal pressure exerted by the operator on the board incident to an ironing operation.

The preferred embodiment of the invention incorporates a plurality of cooperating stops, say a pair at each edge of the hinged end of the ironing board, to afford adequate insurance that the board will be rigidly supported from said pivoted end only and without other props or legs, for example, under all conditions of service.

The invention also comprises the provision of a simple and efficient means for latching the ironing board in outwardly swung or operative position, against being accidentally swung upwardly away from operative position, but readily releasable when the board is to be thrown upwardly on its pivot into approximate parallelism with the wall or cabinet, it being observed that the arrangement of the parts are such that when the board is out of use in such parallel position the friction between the parts of the pivots may be such as to hold the board in stored or inactive position. i

Details and refinements of the structure constituting the preferred embodiment of the invention, referred to, will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings, wherein said embodiments are illustrated, and the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the lower portion of a cabinet or receiving compartment in or attached to an ordinary wall or the like, of a room, the ironing board being illustrated in section transversely through the board and its supporting means, the board occupying a position projecting forwardly and out of the cabinet as in ironing position.

Figure 2 is a detail plan view looking down on the ironing board and associated parts at the left of Figure 1 to make clear the latching means for retaining the board in horizontal or ironing position. I

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking to the right.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 1 looking to the right.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 illustrating the latching mechanism for the board when projected away from the wall into ironing position.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line BB of Figure 1 illustrating the supplemental supporting or stop engagement for the pivoting members of the board.

Figure 7 is a detail elevation of one of the stub axles provided with the pair of distinct stop supports adapted to cooperate with the complemental parts on the side wall of the housing or cabinet.

Referring ,n ore specifically to the I drawings, wherein {like ijef'erer'lice jcharacfte'rs refer" to the same parts in the several views, A represents the floor or base of a compartment or equivalent container having side walls B defininga compartment or space C, for the receptionofjt rig board D, the same being arranged tobe swung upwardly into a position parallel withtheb agl; wall E and within the chamber or space C or into horizontal position to project froiiYthe compartment and be in position for ironing purposes. {Io afiord a strong and eff cient mounting for the e )ipesse throsshltb g re iinapo e bo'ard'and its s at. portions iD'ia a fa r' rein orted 'nd stren t ene by .m t FstraPS J d dd embr qe and Ip r91m h end'p tions 'ofthe ironing' boajrd Darid seat portion ,G and bolted thereto shown. The extensions of the strapso lifii s n'db fth 11 i s card.

proje t int Rei efiiiepg -fN 1f'ine stubipmuesm mepfrj forat 'nsinthepl" tesLitoas c ngthe pivota structure, sa dreduce s bein substantial" length, and carrying oppositely dis posse Winsssr lan es Qarra gl sot ait in the tativfe "movement of wh h complemental'stop lugs P, p

'lm et srel ith'tlie.Q tsrfbor i y i ri he rin s-K w tthe nne flpt t en of which latter the 'stiibp tlesl have their'rotatable frictional bearing;"as' H u I out. The bolts orsecuringrivetsM, that secure the cover plates L to'theendwalls "of the cabinet, are "further "utilised to fasten reinforcing" "plates Qto the inner sides of theend'wajllsof'the c abi net, said platesb'eiiig connected attheir inner dr'rea'redg'es witli'a continuation thereof, cross ing'theb'a'ck wall of the 'cabinet'as indicated at R; and screwed or "bolted to the back wa1l'E,"as clearly seen in Fig. 3, whereby the end'walls of the cabinet are tied together 'aswellas the opposite bearing portions for the ironing board ount d n ri id op rativ re ationship .th 'c ss Qr c n qt nspie e R bein .cut-out'jcentrally as at S to dispense with unnecessary metal.

t w l be und rstood that wh n the iron n board is un its pi qtsto the outward posis ereo rq ns pre sur w l be resisted by the lug or stop engagements O1?, and While h s w l suffise i i ht o e a ion it i E pe t -m thjata stronger and more rigid means be afforded o'sui gqr the eard under s alter n ess ie heavier working conditions and .h er e fashion ofthe engagement ofthe parts OP at the'lends ofthe sfaid pintles'fheretofore described. Thus the interior of each of the members T has Harcuate ways V on the interior thereof receiving the oppositewihgs or lugs W on the shaft F and in the ,or'ipo'site swinging movements of the ironing boardcontacting the stops X at the ends of the Ways V. ,The stops will limit the swinging moven ents ,of th ironing board into and out of "the "cab'in'et,"a's'will be obvious, and the fittings between the stub pintles and their bearings being relatively tight, will fri ctionally hold the board against accidental falling out ,of th ,cabinet, .or

e at thefwillaiid unqertn h anipu- Whenthe card isswung outwardly to itshorizontal Q1 Operatingposition; it may be desirable to temporarily latch'th'e same'injthat lpositioniand for that purpose a detent inthe"formof'alat eral projectionY, integral with thestrap J .is arranged and adapted tojridelinto and out of .a spring keeper Z, .coniprisinglaipairbf Ioppositel'y disposed arms having inwardly projecting. bulges 0r shoulders adapted to spring apart onltheentrance of the 'projectionLY andpv rne the same when seated, releaseofthe latch beingobtain'ed by slight pressure in ,swinginglthe'bofard upwardl o t h e t ere .w thqrawm' y he jection Y from" bet ii the I Sprillg arms .Of the keeper, the latterjyi ding as will be clear, for

It'willbe understood that modifications of this arrangementmay well beresortid towithout' departing from thesp'ir'it of the invention.

Iclaim:

1.1' In combination. with ,a cabinet having side walls, of ,means' for securing and supportin an ironing board in said .cabinet'fcomprising a pair of stub pintles at'the side edges of the board, a bridge piece connecting the stub pintles" having a seat in which ,an endof theboard is secured, bearing nembersflrnounted in .the side walls of the cabinetfor rotatablyreceiving the stub pintles, reinforcing strap members positioned around the meeting portions of the board and bridge ts? v li xtend n @1Qn -t119llPPQralnd lowe edges of the said board, one of said reinforcing strap members having ,a lateral keeper to be movedwith the board, and a spring latch fixed to one ofthe side walls of the cabinet tobe engaged by the keeper when the ironing board is swung to operative position.

2. .The combination witha cabinet having end walls, of an ironing board mounted therein, and means for supporting the ironing board'comprising a pair of stub pintles of maximum diameter near their ends provided with reduced portions in which the ironing board fits and is secured, cylindrical bearings; within said walls into which said portions of maximum diameter pass and are rotatably mounted, combined with coacting stops at the extremities of the stub pintles and on said tubular bearing, said tubular bearing being associated with inner and outer plates on said walls securing the bearings in position, and he inne ti s addi iona s sw ter lated with complemental stops on the stub pintles to insure adequate support for the ironing board under relatively heavy ironing pressures.

ALPHA PERRY LANTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Pullinger Mar. 6, 1877 Labudde et a1 Aug. 15, 1893 Baxter Nov. 22, 1910 Hogan Jan. 18, 1916 Number Number 

